JVC goes iPod mad

CES 2008: JVC turns into an iPod dock company

Should you need further evidence of the iPod's power, then you should check out JVC's CES 2008 line-up. For this once mighty consumer tech maker has seemingly been reduced to little more than an iPod accessory company, with a few side orders thrown in.

It's no wonder really - sold off by Panasonic to Kenwood last year, JVC needs a dead cert to turn its fortunes around. And there's nothing more certain right now than Apple's ubiquitous iPod.

Heading up JVC's iPod accessory line is a range of four P-series LCD TVs, each of which has an iPod dock in its base. The TVs range from 32 inches to 52 inches in size, and all but the smallest model have 1080p Full HD image resolutions.

Plop an iPod into a P-series dock, and the iPod's menus are presented on-screen, alongside photos and movies stored on the device. JVC says the docks also enable you to play music while watching TV programmes.

The 32-inch LT-32P679 and 42-inch LT-42P789 TVs will be available in March stateside, with the 47-inch LT-47P789 following in April. The 52-inch LT-52789 is expected to follow in the summer. No UK details are yet available.

iPod speaker docks

Further evidence for JVC's iPod obsession emerges in its range of dedicated speaker docks, including one model that has space for two different iPods - the NX-PN7.

JVC says the NX-PN7 enables two iPods to be charged side-by-side (handy for multi-iPod families) and also includes an AM/FM radio and analogue audio input for other MP3 players. The NX-PN7 also harbours an illuminated strip under each docked iPod, which can display up to nine different colours.

The NX-PN7 is joined by a more conventional iPod-playing FM alarm clock radio, the RA-P31, which can be powered by six AA batteries as well as by using the mains.

The NX-PN7 dual iPod speaker dock will cost $150 (£76) when it goes on sale in April. The RA-P31 iPod clock radio goes on sale at the same time for $100 (£51).

iPod-friendly hi-fis

Even JVC's hi-fi systems have been subjected to an iPod makeover - from the UX-GP5 micro system (available March for $150 / £76), which includes a flip-down dock for your iPod. It's joined by two teen-friendly mini hi-fis, all of which have iPod docks in addition to the innumerable flashing lights, big buttons and aggressive styling.

The $180 (£91) MX-KC38 belts out 220W of parent-irritating superpower, while the $200 (£101) MX-KC68 turns the volume up to 11 with 400W of system power, an off-board subwoofer and Sound Turbo "for wall-shaking low frequency performance". Both go on sale in the US in April.

JVC also launched a range of iPod-compatible car hi-fis. More on these later.